THE MAKING OF FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

In June, the College’s production of Footloose: The Musical graced the stage of Tierney Auditorium for four sold-out shows, featuring students from St Rita’s College, Mary MacKillop College and, of course, Nudgee College. Numerous staff and students who contributed to this production in many different ways share how their combined efforts brought this iconic 1980s musical to life.

Cast

Ms Alison Kilgour (Artistic Director)

Go back 10 months and that is when the planning and preparation for a musical begins at Nudgee College. In the early days, decisions had to be made in regard to which musical would best fit the community and showcase the many talents of our students. With this in mind, as the Artistic Director, I have to lead my team and work collaboratively with them to decide on the final show choice. Footloose: The Musical has allowed us to showcase our boys’ many talents but also appeal to our wider community. The next phase is the audition process, which is certainly not an easy one. More than 150 students across the three schools lined up for the auditions. They are always enjoyable, as we get to see the students put their heart and soul into the process and witness amazing talent. Once the final cast is decided the preparation for rehearsals begins. I work closely with the Music Director and Choreographer to map out what we need to achieve by certain checkpoints. This requires us to communicate effectively and continually throughout this process while being flexible to any changes. The blocking of the script takes a number of weeks and it is wonderful watching the students transform more and more into their characters. Once sections of the set start to arrive and props come on board, the students transform more and more into their roles, which is exciting. The other part of my role is to collaborate with the Stage Manager, Art Director, and Technical and Set Director, working towards a vision of what we want our version of Footloose: The Musical to look like. Part of this is research, along with lots of discussions, drawings, mapping out different things and problem-solving. I find this part of the process very exciting. As it all starts to come together the buzz around the musical continues to build. When the bump-in of the set takes place and the sitzprobe is in full swing, the excitement in the air is tangible and the energy amongst the cast, band and crew is electrifying.

The final weeks of rehearsal are the most exciting. It is truly rewarding watching the growth of the cast and band, witnessing their commitment to wanting to be the best they can be. The months of hard work really pay off. It brings me great joy and a sense of pride to see all of the students launch onto the stage on opening night with nervous energy and pure excitement. Footloose: The Musical has been wonderful to direct. It has been a real honour to work alongside such a creative and energetic team and a group of young people who have a real passion for theatre and performing.

Hunter Ireland (Year 11)

Musicals are a fantastic way to convey your creativity and talent. For me, it is more than just that. It is a way to express my feelings, my personality and, most importantly, my identity. Footloose: The Musical is an incredible show with great morals and messages behind the brilliant script and music. Fortunately, for us Nudgee College boys, we had this amazing musical to relate to and understand through its adaptation of teen struggles. The acting comes easy when we hold similar attitudes and beliefs that are shared within the show. Being given the privilege of being the lead, Ren McCormack, I gained a sense of leadership toward my fellow castmates where our trust in each other was shared. Friendships and a sense of belonging were created through the family generated by this diverse group of people. Watching everyone have fun and enjoy performing provoked a sense of exhilaration and excitement in me and reminded me that I love what I do. Whether we were singing, dancing or acting out scenes together, our connections and friendships were so very clear. I appreciate all involved with this year's musical and I am so glad to be part of this wonderful show as my last at Nudgee College.

Thomas Mallet (Year 12)

After successfully working on the production of Footloose: The Musical for six months alongside St Rita's College and Mary MacKillop College, it's easy to overlook the incredible journey that led us to opening night. To be part of a musical is an event unlike any other, having rehearsed for such an extended period of time that led to four performances across three days, whilst working with both students and staff who are like-minded. I had the opportunity to play Willard Hewitt, a loyal, genuine friend of Ren McCormack who, although seen as uptight at first, goes through a journey through the show to embrace who he is. Through inhabiting these roles, you find your own essence and establish connections between yourself and the character, enabling you to fully embrace yourself as them on stage. Drawing from my involvement in past musicals such as The Addams Family in the orchestra pit and performing in High School Musical: On Stage, two words profoundly resonate in the pursuit of success: family and self-discipline. The cast members become a second family, dedicating countless hours together, creating memories and forming lifelong friendships. From mastering intricate dance routines to tackling numerous songs and lines, there are always times of mistakes and falling down, yet it is self-discipline that steadfastly guides you towards achieving the final product. It has been a privilege to be part of three musicals at Nudgee College and I look forward to more amazing shows in the future.

Music

Mr Sam Smith (Music Director)

When thinking about music from the 1980s, it is hard to go past the music of Footloose: The Musical. Songs like ‘Let’s Hear It for the Boy’ and ‘Holding Out for a Hero’ really bring the nostalgia of the 1980s to life. As the Music Director, I am responsible for all music on stage. From working with leads on their solos, ensemble singing, preparing the band and directing the show, the role of the Music Director is substantial. I am grateful to have worked with Mr Richard Dupuy as my Assistant Music Director to help prepare the production. When I worked with the ensemble and leads, Richard worked with the band. During the production, he was my ears (quite literally), mixing our fold-back and front-of-house sound.

One of the most important parts of my job is conducting the musical. It is my responsibility to ensure that all of the music works seamlessly with the dialogue and supports the cast on stage. I leveraged our Technical Production and Events Crew, led by Mr Raoul Carmody, to set up quite a technically demanding loft pit with complete in-ear monitoring, which allowed me to speak directly to the musicians during the production to ensure the show flowed smoothly. It also allowed the band members to create a custom sound mix and stopped sound bleeding from the band onto the musical stage.

I watched a live video feed of the stage, so I could manage the transition music whilst the stage crew moved sets. A live video feed of myself is displayed for the cast to see whilst they perform on stage. I helped cue the cast when they had to sing and they followed my baton whilst singing to help ensure they were in time with the band. Sometimes, you could even find me mouthing the lyrics through the camera in case a nervous student needed a little assistance when on stage.

A real highlight of this production for me was the band. With only one staff member, the rest of the band were student musicians. These students worked incredibly hard to learn 36 pieces of challenging music. I am incredibly proud of their achievements and the high standard of performance they achieved as a team.

Footloose: The Musical is my second musical at Nudgee College and it has been an absolute pleasure to work with such a talented team of students and staff.

Michael La Monaca (Year 12)

After my first musical experience in 2021 with our rendition of High School Musical: On Stage, the sense of community I got from working with all of the other people involved drew me back in for 2023. This year, I had the privilege of playing in the music pit, taking on the percussion role, meaning I am responsible for playing a variety of instruments, such as the snare drum, triangle, xylophone and vibraphone. I also took on the duties of playing and creating the sound effects for the musical, imitating the sounds of a train and tires screeching, to name a few. The biggest thing I enjoy about musicals is coming together as a cast and band, performing together as a large group, making not only a storyline come to life but also some incredible music. When coming together with all of the other boys and girls involved, you get to meet a lot of like-minded people and you really get to be yourself, which is such a rewarding experience. During my time in the musical, I have learnt a lot about playing percussion, having not played such an extensive range of instruments before. Prior to finding out that I had gotten the role and with the help of all of my Music teachers and tutors, I picked up a lot of skills in the percussion world. My favourite part of being in a production like this is the shows. It is so rewarding to see all of the hard work of the cast, band, stage crew and all of the staff finally pay off and be able to showcase our talents.

Choreography

Ms Ellen Cunningham (Choreographer)

Choreographing this musical and working with so many talented and dedicated young performers has been a truly treasured experience. As a choreographer, my job is to collaborate with the Artistic Director, Music Director and the entire production team to devise and incorporate movements and dance routines to heighten the emotions and energy of the story. From the moment we started auditioning for this production, the students’ energy and enthusiasm to perform were electric. The students worked hard, in rehearsals and at home, to master the routines and bring their characters’ energy to the stage. I am truly honoured to have been a part of fostering each student’s love for the performing arts and helping them grow as performers. Their beaming smiles backstage on opening night and the tears they shed as the final curtain was drawn showed just how much this experience means to all of the students involved. The joy of watching these young talents shine and seeing the friendships they formed throughout the process made being the choreographer for the College’s musical one of the highlights of my year.

Backstage

Ms Kate Fraikin (Stage Manager)

Footloose: The Musical will be my third musical at Nudgee College as part of the backstage team. It is always a rewarding experience when you finally get to production week and see the vision of the whole team come to fruition for the live performances. Crew and cast alike brought their best on the day, making up for the countless hours of rehearsal and sleepless nights leading up to the shows.

Some might wonder why an Accounting teacher is involved in Performing Arts but I am deeply grateful that Nudgee College offers staff the opportunity to be involved in different co-curricular activities. It allows me to fulfil a dream to be involved in musical theatre – behind the scenes of course. The role requires attention to detail, organisation and multi-tasking skills to ensure a seamless run, not too dissimilar to my previous roles in the business world. The singing is a welcome bonus.

As Stage Manager I work with the Artistic Director and Technical and Set Director to ensure each scene change runs smoothly, and that the cast, props and set are ready for the performance. The movement of those set pieces can be intricate and physically challenging at the same time. Placement must be exact and precise every time the lights go up. The whole backstage crew, stage left and stage right, need to know exactly what to move and when. My job is to ensure they have very clear instructions and that when our cue arrives we are ready to move – and quickly! The blocking and rehearsal period involves consultation and flexibility until the sets are built and ready to roll.

My team is there to support the cast and to ensure they can give their best performance on the night. As I wait side stage, I often feel in awe of the fearlessness and dedication of the cast members as they prepare to walk, run or dance out on stage. Their big smiles as they exit after their scene are very special to observe.

Emerson Klitscher (Year 11)

Participating in this musical marks my first-ever involvement in a College production. I've always considered being a part of such an event, so when this musical presented itself as my last chance, I couldn't let it slip away. Given my fascination with the inner workings and logistics behind the scenes, I found my I was best suited to a role in the backstage crew. My responsibilities revolved around efficiently organising and maneuvering props and set pieces on and off the stage. Beyond the excitement, this musical taught me valuable lessons in time management. Juggling my studies with the demands of the production has been more challenging than expected. But, it has ultimately helped me improve my overall ability to manage my time effectively. My favourite part has been watching this production evolve and improve over time. Observing everyone's progress evokes a sense of achievement for what has been accomplished.

Art Design & Set Construction

Ms Katherine Ellis (Art Director)

Set design and build is a team effort and it has been an absolute pleasure working with the creative team as Art Director for the musical this year. My role was to lead our team in developing, constructing and painting the set used to tell the story of the musical. We began this process by working collaboratively with the Artistic Director and Technical and Set Director to sketch out designs, look at inspirational images or videos and discuss our ideas. Together, we worked to make our vision come to life.

Props large and small were constructed with help from our Construction and Digital Technology departments, as well as our wonderful Art Technicians and Technical Production and Events Crew. Props are then painted by key members of the Visual Art team. We are extremely lucky to have three practising artists on our Visual Art team, which definitely lifts the quality of the work to another level. Attention to detail and regular communication is vital to problem-solving and the success of the show coming together with a shared vision. We are very proud of the work that went into this show.

Emerson Klitscher (Year 11)

Participating in this musical marks my first-ever involvement in a College production. I've always considered being a part of such an event, so when this musical presented itself as my last chance, I couldn't let it slip away. Given my fascination with the inner workings and logistics behind the scenes, I found my I was best suited to a role in the backstage crew. My responsibilities revolved around efficiently organising and maneuvering props and set pieces on and off the stage. Beyond the excitement, this musical taught me valuable lessons in time management. Juggling my studies with the demands of the production has been more challenging than expected. But, it has ultimately helped me improve my overall ability to manage my time effectively. My favourite part has been watching this production evolve and improve over time. Observing everyone's progress evokes a sense of achievement for what has been accomplished.

Technical & Set Production

Mr Raoul Carmody (Technical and Set Director)

The musical process at Nudgee College is a collaborative experience, having worked with Alison and many other team members over five musicals so far. Students’ skill sets have been continuously developed, with more technical challenges added each time. A few examples from Footloose: The Musical included having a full band work with in-ear monitors as opposed to fold-back speakers to produce a fully live sound, and the challenges of acoustic baffling with customised spaces and micing techniques.

Significant work was undertaken with the Artistic Director, Art and Construction departments, as well as Old Boys, to design the space to suit the band, as well as a scaffold structure to build all our different scenes around. We also developed digital content with Year 11 student Robert Fitzgerald to tie scenes together. It was fraught with challenges but well worth it for the outcome.

The stage and technical teams helped make everything on stage look and sound as good as it did. We used the most inputs and outputs we ever have in this facility, maxing out current capacities, from wireless microphones to wireless communication packs. We had multiple audio operators working on iPads and consoles, to the point that we outgew our operations booth and required crew outside in the Auditorium to control these spaces. We also collaborated significantly with the Stage Manager and her team on the behind-the-scenes choreography under the cloak of darkness to perfect each scene change.

I would particularly like to acknowledge the work of Mr Cam Forster (NC 2005-09) for the work he put in to building these realities, and Technical Production Officer Mr Nick Flanders for managing the Technical Crew with me, as well as developing the audio and lighting design.

All of this would not have been possible without the College Arts Committee and a dedicated group of staff and parent volunteers, particularly Ms Louise Nardi and Ms Jodie Becker, who helped keep the front of house running, as well as Ms Peggy Goodall, Ms Lindsay Mallet and Mr Dan Williams for running the bar and snacks. Thank you also to Ms Peta Scott for taking us back to the 1980s with the design and dressing of our foyers and entry.

Sam Duffy (Year 9)

Being part of the Technical Production and Events Crew that works all year round on Nudgee College events means the chance to do a lot of great gigs, but the musical was always going to be the biggest in the 2023 calendar. Two years ago I worked on my first musical, High School Musical: On Stage, and had such a great time as a follow-spot operator that I was really looking forward to Footloose: The Musical. My job this year was a lighting operator, which consisted of setting up, programming and operating lighting equipment in the performances so that everything on stage looked great. There is no other Nudgee College event like it, from the set changes to the schedule, the scale of this event is huge. So to was the learning experience for the whole crew, who had to work hard behind the scenes to not only set up all of the lighting, sound and vision gear, but also learn the script, scene changes and so much more. One of the most challenging factors was planning to manage the musical on top of Showcase and Open Day only a few weeks prior. We were flat out, timelines were tight, and a lot of gear was shifted back and forth between venues. Overcoming these challenges to make Footloose: The Musical a success was a really rewarding process though, especially at times like the sitzprobe rehearsal, where the cast and band came together to rehearse for the first time and we saw the hard work really starting to pay off.